Project Redemption
by ArykaLinn
Summary: An out of control child of gods turned SHIELD agent must go up against a disgraced Asgardian prince to protect Midgard against Thanos' inevitable return. The only way to keep this silver-tongued god from total destruction is to bind his life force with Cassia, the daughter of the Roman gods of Love and War. Will she be able to deliver Loki into the light, or will he tear her down?
1. Love and War

A/N: Hey everyone, this is my first fic! I've actually just started reading Marvel fics like crazy and developed an unhealthy obsession. So enjoy my current addiction. I'm still fleshing the story out. I know the general direction I'd like it to go but if anyone would like to assist as a beta, please let me know! I'll try and update frequently at first and then even out to weekly once I get the ball rolling. I've already got a second chapter written that I'm adding final touches to. Please comment! It'll be my lifeblood going forward. I know it will likely be difficult to read with an original character, but I just could not get her out of my head!

Prologue

"" _Without purpose and meaning in our lives, we banish ourselves to wander this plane of existence with self-destructive tendencies until the bell tolls and our breath capsizes in our lungs, snatching our chance to redeem ourselves forever."_  
 _― A.J. Darkholme, Rise of the Morningstar"_

Cassia waited patiently within the white room. The air felt sterile and the blinding light echoed off of each surface. The perfect opposite of the dark and dank cell she had spent the last however long in. It must have been a while because she could smell the mildew seeping from every pore in her body. The only time she was pulled from her quarters was so the red headed woman could bring her into this very room for a series of questioning and tests. Now she was back and could not imagine what else they had to ask.

It barely registered when the brief, shrill tone sounded; indicating someone being buzzed into the room. She knew the next sound would be the cranking of state of the art locks. She supposed these people felt secure that those locks and the chains around her wrists would keep her in these cells. Even at her diminished state she could have easily gotten up and walked away. She was here on her own accord.

When the last click of the heavy lock sounded, the white panel swept past. Cassia had become accustomed to Agent Romanoff's presence during questioning so she had raised a brow when the tall, one-eyed African American man stepped through. The energy around him buzzed with authority and ill-tempered confidence. He tossed the blue file down on the white table separating the two.

 **PROJECT REDEMPTION**

"Afternoon Cass-ia, I've heard a lot about you." The one eyed man spit out as if breaking the ice with one of his prisoners left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"It's CA-sha." Agent Romanoff stated simply before rounding the corner and standing next to the man. "Sir." She corrected herself and nodded in his direction.

She could feel his eye narrow on her. Cassia had not had the luxury of a mirror in quite some time but she could feel her once chocolate tresses had devolved into a greasy and matted mess, strands flowing wildly in front of her dark eyes. She could imagine her once olive skin had likely faded into a sickly green. Not necessarily the look she was wanting when she was about to plead her case for freedom. Cassia was used to using her looks and the desire of others to get what she wanted. So maybe this would at least keep the man off guard.

Agent Romanoff and the man sat directly in front of the woman. "Cassia this is Director Fury. He has had a chance to review your chart and our interviews regarding the upcoming project. He has some questions of his own." Her voice was indifferent. Some days the Agent held the façade, though in recent days the other woman had softened to her. She could only surmise the Director would discourage that sort of behavior until she received her PASS.

The director pushed the blue folder over to Cassia. "Read it." He stated simply.

APPLICANT NUMBER: PR387930  
APPLICANT NAME: CASSIA  
AGE: UNKNOWN  
TIME HELD: 2 YEARS  
IN HOUSE INFRACTIONS: NONE  
CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY: INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER (X7), RESISTING ARREST, ASSAULT AND BATTERY, THEFT, KIDNAPPING, OTHER CRIMES UNKNOWN.

SPECIES: UNKNOWN. CLAIMS OF BEING THE CHILD OF GODS  
ABILITIES: SPEED, STRENGTH, SOME PSYCHIC ABILITIES, MANIPULATION OF THE MIND, MANIPULATION OF MATTER, EMPATH  
RISK LEVEL: 4 WHEN KEPT UNDER FED. SUBJECT REQUIRES PSYCHIC SUSTENANCE. 10 WHEN SHE HAS FULLY FED.

COMMENTS: SUBJECT SUFFERS FROM POSSIBLE AMNESIA. CLAIMS TO BE THE DAUGHTER OF MARS AND VENUS, ROMAN GODS OF WAR AND LOVE. SHE GAINS STRENGTH IN BATTLE AND CLAIMS TO GAIN STRENGTH DURING SEX OR ROMANTIC ENCOUNTERS. IT IS THE OPINION OF THE REPORTING AGENT THAT THESE STATEMENTS ARE AS TRUE AS POSSIBLE. SUBJECT WAS APPREHENDED BY AVENGERS BLACK WIDOW, HAWKEYE AND THOR. THE THREE AVENGERS ALL REQUIRED MEDICAL CARE. THERE WERE 7 CASUALTIES WHEN AVENGERS ARRIVED ON SITE….

Cassia cringed and shut the folder. She didn't need to read anymore. She relived the moment over and over. This was soon after she started feeding once more. Her blood started to heat at the memory of bodies mingling, the smell of sweat, pleasure, and consensual pain. However, like all of her encounters of over-indulgence it had ended with being surrounded by a room full of bodies. It just so happened that the door was broken in by the Avengers this time around. 2 years into starvation had finally afforded Cassia some clarity.

"I've read the file. I've heard the interviews. Maybe you can tell me why in the hell I would choose an unknown species who has no memory of who they are or what their abilities may be? I can't trust you around our men or our women. I can't trust you in battle because according to this" – he gestured at the folder, "that will feed you."

Cassia simply nodded, "I can gather intel. I can keep my composure during normal hand-to-hand combat. I may not know much about my past but I've learned how to keep myself in control."

Director Fury scoffed. "Miss Cassia, I am in the business of training heroes. I am not in the business of keeping an eye on a succubus. Which is essentially what you are. We don't know your background. We know next to nothing."

"Sir—I am willing to train Cassia in espionage. She's my pick." Agent Romanoff spoke up. "With the Avengers Initiative, my primary focus has been there. We need someone with my skills to gather intel. She has similar skills to mine and I believe could be an asset in the field. I'm too recognizable now."

Fury continued to look ahead, searching Cassia's eyes for something. She was unsure of what. He exhaled a long breath through his nose. "Why do you want to be a part of this project?"

"I can think clearly now. I would like to serve and make up for my crimes. Even a goddess feel regret." She inwardly cringed at that. It sounded ridiculous to call herself a goddess. She has vague memories over an unknown time span. She was pretty sure she was old, though she didn't know how old. SHIELD had brought in some sort of Agent with what she was told was the ability to read people and confirmed the information she was able to gather. Gods are real. Or at least were real, to some extent.

Fury stood, towering over her and scooped up her file once more. Cassia steeled herself for her first letdown. Agent Romanoff warned her that Fury was a difficult man to warm up and it may take quite a bit of time before he finally agreed to release her to the Program.

"You will be released to Agent Romanoff's custody under strict 24 hour surveillance. You will be staying in the Project Redemption quarters. During the day you will be training with the Avengers, as well as Romanoff on espionage when you are not under mission. We will figure out a way for you to be fed a minimal amount to keep you alive. You will have a curfew. At that time you will remain in a cell on the PR premises. Remember, you will be surrounded by a full team of Avengers, security measures and guns. One wrong move and its shoot to kill."

The fiery haired Agent smirked in her seat which made the imposing man glower. "Stop smiling. Don't let her fuck it up. I've got big plans for this project and I'm not sold she should be our first." With that he was out the door.

Cassia released a breath she didn't know she had been holding. Freedom. Before the waves of relief could pour through her, her stomach started in nervous knots. _Freedom. Shit, shit, shit._ Agent Romanoff noticed the minor muscle ticks within the goddess' face and her features softened, safe from her boss.

"I trust you. You will be fine. Welcome aboard Agent Cassia."

xxx

 _3 Years Later_

Cassia carefully opened the heavy double doors before entering the room, chest filled with anticipation. She was able to stalk silently across the blue mats with a cat like grace, donned in her black spandex and training bra. Her eyes moved to her target. Tall and broad shouldered, hard in almost every place that counted. She could almost see every individual muscle trailing through his shirt. The man's back was turned to her. Already a wrong move.

"Whats happenin' Captain?" She shouted out. Captain Steve Rodgers pivoted and slowly turned to greet her, wide smile on his face. "You look awfully cheery for someone who's about to get his ass handed to him." She could almost see his eye twitched at her crude use of the language.

"I feel like today might be my lucky day." He said with a smile and a wink.

"My money's on the little girl!" She heard Stark shout from the stands. Cassia took a deep breath in, reveling in the smell of sweat and the leather of the equipment. Sparring day. After the first 18 months of figuring out what energy levels fit Cassia best, the team came up with a training schedule. The simple one on one sparring was enough to last her a few days. Most days she sparred with Steve but on the rare occasion Thor was in town, she sparred with him as well. Steve had become a great friend and confidant, however he always pulled his punches and for that, he always wound up face first on the mat.

Steve joined her on the mat, standing perfectly still while Cassia circled him like prey. In the beginning she couldn't imagine how straight laced Captain America came to terms with being someone's meal long enough to agree to test out these sessions. She later found out that no one had told him that she was storing his energy during their sparring matches in order for survival. It took a lot of long talks between the two of them, a hunger strike for herself – she was not happy with the fact that he had not been able to consent – but now it had been something the team looked forward to. Mostly because of the humble ass kicking Mr All American took each and every time they fought.

She could feel a flutter of energy spilling around her body, sending slight pins and needles to her fingertips. Steve noted the look in her eyes and changed his stance to a low defensive position. Cassia tested the waters with a light kick directed towards the side of her friend's face, which he easily blocked with his right arm. He took his move and immediately swung with his left, this time following through as it connected with her cheek. He was learning to strike as soon as he could before her energy had the chance to increase. Cassia grinned and continued to circle.

She tossed out a few halfhearted punches which were easily blocked and countered. She could feel the rush of her energy starting to wake up through her limbs, letting her know it was ready. The woman swiped her left leg in a full circle at Steve's abdomen, causing him to jump back to stay out of reach. She used this as her in to move forward in a cartwheel, using the momentum to put him in a scissor hold and roll him to the floor. The energy tickled and sparked behind her eyes as she stared at him heatedly and Cassia knew to pull back a bit.

The Captain sensed this and brought his own legs up to flip them around and pull out of her grasp, kneeing the woman in the process. Cassia tumbled backwards and brought herself back to her feet, charging at the man once again with a right jab to the corner of his mouth. She was so enthralled with their dance that she almost didn't notice the double doors being slammed open.

"Team – take a break!" Natasha shouted out into the room, immediately snapping Cassia from her trance. "Mission time." She finished, looking pointedly at Cass.

The brunette woman turned to Steve and patted him on the back. "Mission time!" she echoed, feeling a bubbling of excitement. It wasn't often that she joined in on missions with the Avengers. She could probably count on one hand how many times she got to join them. She still had to keep her distance from large battles and that was the majority of what the A-team was called out for. She was paired with them as a security in case she went full nuclear, though they no longer looked at her as a ticking time bomb.

"It was just getting good!" Stark supplied from the bleachers yet again before making his way down in a huff.

Steve jogged to Cass' side, lightly grabbing at her elbow. "You good?" She knew what he was referring to. It wasn't often that their sessions were cut short and she was only allotted a few sessions per week. She wasn't the most comfortable discussing her 'meals' with her friends so she simply nodded.

They made their way to the room that was lovingly dubbed the war table and was surprised to find Fury and Thor already seated in uncomfortable silence. Thor's face lit up at the sight of the team. It had been almost 4 months since they had seen him last. He stood and said his greetings to everyone.

"I wish it were under greater circumstances." The god said, almost regrettably. Cassia warmed up to Thor the quickest out of the entire team. He had helped her uncover more about her lineage and was the only one who was never fearful of her, despite the injuries she had inflicted and the carnage he witnessed during their first meeting. It had made perfect sense to Thor that Midgard had its own version of true 'gods', which he believed to be some sort of ancient royalty rather than actual gods. It was explained that her need to feed was probably an evolutionary trait to power the specific energy needed for her abilities. She still required food and drink but if she wanted to maintain any of her abilities then she also needed to 'feed'.

Fury stood as everyone took a seat. "Today is graduation day." He spat out, placing his arms behind his back. "I feel like a proud papa bear." He did not sound like a proud papa bear. "With the current success of Project Redemption and our expanding needs, we have decided to open up another space."

Cassia shrunk a little as she felt eyes land on her, expecting some sort of response. Instead it was Stark that spoke first.

"Cass has been different than anyone else in custody. I've had JARVIS run different scenarios and there hasn't been a single one who seems up to snuff."

"That's where Cassia comes in. With her skills of – suggestion and other techniques, it's our hope that this new candidate will be ready within time. A lot of time, but we're hoping to see results. He will be brought to the PR headquarters and for Stage 1 spend his time in a cell, only being released to spar."

Cassia sunk a little lower and shot Steve a look, she was unsurprised to see him staring back at her from across the table. If their cancelled sessions affected him, he was good at hiding it.

"Cassia is comfortable with me, sir. We know each other's limits and have been working well together."

Director Fury offered a smile that did not quite reach his eye. "Yes, but its time to shake things up. You can't make progress if you're not willing to push yourself. You stay stagnant. Cassia, you've been a good spy but now it's time to see if you'll make a good leader. We're also upping your sparring sessions to once per day." Cassia was sure that her blood froze in her veins.

"I'm sorry Cass," Tony cut in, distress obvious in his eyes. She had never sparred with Stark, his energy was too limited since he didn't come with god or super soldier powers but he was always on the side line cheering her on. "but I don't think it's time to push anything yet. We have been working on an implant to place in the applicants to block aggressive behavior. We should be waiting on that first."

"We do not have time to wait." Thor spoke up. "We have received word that Thanos has been on the hunt for some artifact. We do not have much detail yet as it is a rarity to be left standing after facing Thanos or his army."

"Which applicant are we pulling?" Cassia finally found her voice.

Thor looked at her with sorrow in his eyes. "Loki".

And the entire room erupted into chaos.


	2. Wild Game of Survival

Okay I lied. I wanted you all to get a taste of the Loki I intend to write, so I didn't want to draw out his introduction any further. So here's a small treat!

Chapter Text

 **Chapter 2**

" _Who's in your shadows?_  
 _Who's ready to play?_  
 _Are we the hunters?_  
 _Or are we the prey?"_

 _-Game of Survival, Ruelle_

Cassia had made her way back to her once-cell turned into room, events from the war table replaying over and over in her head. The general consensus from her friends, all but Thor, was that this was a bad idea. She paced around, trying to steady herself. It had been 3 years. Was she ready? She had to be, there was no other choice. There was a quiet rap at the door before a bulky Asgardian body followed by the small and petite agent came shuffling in. Cassia tossed herself on her bed before anyone decided to speak up. Thank the gods they sprung for the fluffy mattress.

"If there were some other way, I would have suggested it first. I would like you to know that." Thor looked at her in earnest. Cass had still been imprisoned during New York, but after long talks with Thor regarding his murderous trickster of a brother, he knew where her concerns were.

"I don't know if I can do it." She stated, staring straight at the bright white walls. She hadn't even gotten the chance to decorate.

"I trained you, you can handle this." Natasha, always the impartial party took a seat on the corner of the plain desk which sat against her plain wall. She was so busy trying to pick up the mangled pieces of her soul that she hadn't even had a chance to make herself a home first. "When they first brought me to your cells, I felt the same as you. I had seen the bodies, I physically fought you and now here they were asking me to interview you to gain your freedom." There was no judgement or malice in her voice, Natasha was always the voice of reason.

"How did you...decide? After what I did?"

"After weeks of watching you, I saw my 'in'. I saw a glimmer of hope in you and I took that and ran with it because it was my job. And then after that, it was my privilege. And I know firsthand what it's like to have red in your ledger" the woman finished somberly.

Thor moved to sit next to Cass. Even though SHIELD eventually supplied her with a queen sized mattress there was little room to adjust herself to turn to him completely.

"My brother owes Thanos a debt. He is quite possibly one of the most bloodthirsty warlords our time will ever see. We know not of what he wants, only Loki could provide this information." He looked to Natasha who nodded solemnly and finished for the god, "We need this. There is a chance for the return of the Chitauri."

"How am I even supposed to get this information? The only reason I was successful is because I wanted to be here. I can influence some people, **some** , but I can't turn someone good."

Romanoff took a knee in front of the small framed goddess. "I trained you for every possible scenario. Your abilities and training in manipulation, psychology and espionage. We don't expect Loki to turn good." Thor snorted at that. "But we can at least gain information and maybe get him to help once there is an attack. And there will be. At the very least read him and we can decide from there."

Cass steadied herself and felt the waves of energy starting to swing in her stomach. When her powers manifested, it was always in a cloud of deep, ruby-red smoke. She could feel the energy slightly pulse through her, reminding her it was still there. She exhaled a breath and untied her hair, letting her tresses waterfall down past her breasts.

"Where is he?"

xxx

Moments later they were rounding the corner of the PR unit. Unmarked doors passed by until they reached what she had memorized as the interrogation room. She had to scoff a little as they had come full circle. She knew undoubtedly that this would be the room he was in as it was one of the few with enchantments against magic and psychic ability if you were an inmate, thanks to Frigga, queen of Asgard.

"I would like to go in alone." She said without looking back at the duo. They nodded in agreement and stepped aside, knowing they would be monitoring through the hidden panel. Cassia fluffed her hair, which had begun to curl over the tight black t-shirt she had replaced her training bra with. She knew that these easy manipulation tactics wouldn't work on the ultimate trickster, but she wanted him to think that was precisely what she was trying to do. Make him underestimate her.

A quick swipe of the card, blare of a siren, click of the lock and she was in. He watched her with a predatory gaze as she stood in the doorway. His raven black hair was slicked back, not a thread out of place. His skin was almost translucent and shimmering to her energized eye but she knew it for what it was. She had sat in that chair once. Somehow he had managed to muster up enough power to shield what Cassia knew was less than stellar hygienic practices in the dungeons. With the memories of her own time in those cells, she allowed him this kindness and hoped it would further promote the idea that she was in over her head. He flashed her a broad smile as if they were long lost friends as she took the empty chair across from him.

"Out of what goodness do they send me a mortal that is so kind on the eyes after all this time in captivity?" He quirked an eyebrow in her direction before placing his chained hands on the table.

"I'm not a mortal." _Give a bit of honesty, get a bit in return. He'll be looking for his 'in'. So will I._

"How very interesting." He sucked his tongue in on the last syllable, drawing Cassia's attention to his mouth, her cloud of energy beginning to wake. "I would not expect someone from any of the other realms to lower themselves enough to stay on Midgard. The humans are dirty and primitive. More trouble than they're worth."

Cassia leaned back in her chair, unfazed. "Then why do you keep trying to enslave them?" A small, throaty chuckle rose from Loki then as he leaned forward.

"For fun."

"Loki, do you know why you're here?"

"My _adoptive_ brother was kind enough to give me the basics. Project Redemption. How pathetic. I have nothing to redeem myself for other than bruising his wretched ego." _Sore spot._ She made a mental note. _Got it._

"Freedom. Your freedom, Loki. We want to issue it to you, eventually." The dark haired man rolled his eyes and smiled slyly.

"It is never that simple, agent."

"No. I was once like you. Bound by these walls and those chains. It took work. A lot of work. But here we are now." He gave her a pointed look and her breath caught as she saw the jade green flash in his eyes. The energy swelled within her, lightly tapping at her skin, asking for release. A short look flashed across Loki's face, possibly triumph? It was incredibly likely that he had mistaken the raise in energy in the room as attraction. He was a meal.

"But are you? Are you truly free? You reside within these walls, eating the meals they set at the times they order go on missions they tell you to. Do you not understand why you're here in this very room with the bogeyman? You're the expendable one."

She could almost feel Thor's fury pulse through the wall separating the pair from the observation room. She put a hand up quietly before gently placing it back down once she was sure there weren't going to be any interruptions.

"I have red on my ledger and I need to clear it." She channeled her innermost Natasha while she inched her hand fractions closer to Loki's, he was beginning to fire himself up so of course he never noticed.

"I. Owe. Nothing. I am a prince of Asgard by adoption and Jotunheim by blood. I take as I wish and I will not be held. I will assist with nothing." She moved forward a little more slightly.

"Loki, Thanos is coming. We know you went back on a deal with him. Grant us your assistance and we'll grant you your freedom." If Loki felt anything regarding the warlords return, his face did not reveal it. She closed the small distance and let her fingers brush against his. It doesn't take much of a touch to get a read on someone. A small burst of energy from her and that the other be caught off guard. She gets the occasional accidental readings but tries to give most people the modicum of respect they deserved. After searching the black abyss into Loki's soul, she wasn't sure there was anything to respect in this man.

The world seemed to have stopped while the red smoke flowed through her skin into his own, curling deeply as it travelled into the god. She could feel hatred and anger. If the world was currently moving she's sure that her chest would have been heaving from hyperventilation, she felt trapped as if there was nothing but blackness and nothing to hold onto to pull her back out. She felt her energy continuing to reach out, though she was not confident what it would find. Fear. A lot of fear. Fear so thick it held an icy wall within his black depths. The energy stopped and swirled. It was there she found it. One small seed of bright shining and shimmering light. He wasn't completely gone, but close enough. The seed was so small that it barely registered through all of the despair and possible insanity. But it existed. She reached out before his icy wall slammed up and Cassia and her energy were forced back out and the world spun again.

Loki's eyes were wild with what she knew resided in him. "Do not ever enter my mind again or next time I may not let you leave. But you are fascinating. What are you?" He leaned into her and she could smell the mint and leather dancing from his skin. The damn energy reacted once more. "What a magnificent creature you might become if these mortals did not keep you from what you crave."

What an interesting comment. Was he reading her too? She stayed silent before her words could betray her.

"Did you find what you were looking for? Do I make the team, Agent?"

"Welcome to Project Redemption, Loki Odinson." She gave a small shiver and walked out briskly, feigning an air of nerves as if he had unravelled her. She swiped at the door twice and placed her hand on the panel, almost willing it open. As soon as she could step through the doors she turned the corner, knowing Thor and Natasha would be quick on her heels. Cassia backed into the wall and just stared up, nodding slowly.

"I can do it. I can. I know what he wants. He wants to own me."

XXX

"What do you mean Loki wants to own you?" Thor shouted, thunder lining his words while the trio chased down the hall heading back to the war room.

"It's just a feeling."

As they entered the sleek, glass covered office; the rest of the team stood in anticipation.

"Own?" Steve echoed incredulously, folding his arms across his chest.

"Nope, don't have to hear the rest of this. I veto. Do I get a veto? I feel like we should be able to veto." Stark had been busying himself going over some sort of data while the group had been gone. She was sure that panic started to set in at the thought of the Chitauri or even Thanos himself making an appearance. She was doing this for him too.

Cassia sat down and nearly melted into her chair. She hadn't been in the thick of it with the group since she began in the project and she could feel the ebbing of her energy slowly starting to waver.

"Everyone _sit down_." She projected the suggestion across the room. She didn't like to do anything against anyone's will but she only wanted to say this once and she was afraid this was going to get out of hand.

"It's difficult for me to describe. At first I thought he was lost to us. That everything was going to be dark and twisted. And it was." She placed a hand gingerly on the brother that was sitting beside her. "I don't know if we can save your brother. But there was a seed. Something there. Hope, maybe. Definitely light. Who he used to be at some point. I don't know how much I can reach but I know it can't get worse than it already is."

"When you tend to a seed, it continues to grow." Thor nodded almost vacantly at the table. Cass smacked his back. "There ya go big guy! See, you're not as dumb as you look." Thor popped his head up and gave off a look of success before reconsidering and glaring at the woman.

Fury turned in his seat towards the goddess. "If this was your mission, if you were in charge," she could plainly see he was testing the waters, "what would your orders be?"

Cassia paused at that. In the 3 years since her release it has been all about what she could do for them. It was about the lessons she learned, the missions she was given. She needed to remember her training but also trust her own instinct. She could do this. She _had_ to do this. But doing this might condemn herself to leading down a very dark path. She shook her head at those thoughts.

"He wants me. He said something interesting at the end of our talk,"

"He said he was fascinated." Natasha interjected thoughtfully. "Called her a magnificent creature."

"I bet you every dollar Stark has" Cass continued, ignoring Tony's jeer from the crowd, "he is sitting there now just thinking of any way he can use me to his advantage. He wants to own me." She repeated. Steve looked sick and shook his head.

"We're not seriously thinking about letting you do this. We can't trust that this psycho is going to have your back in time for whatever is happening. We won't get enough information in time and it's going to put your life on the line."

The entire team was silent for a beat. Thor cleared his throat as if he were biding time before offering up his suggestion.

"There is a ritual. A bonding spell. It would bind your life forces with an oath. If we could get Loki to agree to such then he would have no other choice than to protect your interests." Thor leaned down to level with Cassia before continuing. His large hand enveloped hers. "I do not take this lightly. It is an oath rarely used. We lead such long lives that if something happened to another they would be irreparably broken for the rest of their days. We do not even know how long your life span is. His life would be yours to protect as much as yours is to him. However, once bound, not only would he protect your interests but parts of you would transfer to him. A conscience, perhaps?"

"I can't sit around and listen to this. We're _weeks_ away from a breakthrough but you're talking about a forced marriage? These are the things we fight against, for christsake!" Tony was shouting now, pulling his hands through his once unspoiled dark hair.

"It cannot be forced, it has to be agreed upon, that is the only way it would work. I would never have even suggested anything of this severity if it did not call for it. You've seen the Chitauri. That is but one arm of Thanos."

Cassia placed her head in her hands, shutting her eyes tightly and forcing the arguing out. _Deep inhale._

Bodies. So many bodies. Touching, moaning. Tasting the salt off of another's skin. Not knowing where one ends and the other begins.

 _Exhale._

A loving touch. A moan. A shudder. A soft sigh. The last breath of one.

 _Inhale._

Screams now. Doesn't matter. Just the growing hunger. Red smoke rising. Digging fingers into her sacrifices. They were hers now. For her. To become her. Screaming and clawing. Begging for release. Red smoke.

 _Exhale._

How many over the years? How many in just the years she could recall? Some lives ending in screams and some lives ending with lovely smiles painted across their faces. Were these lives worth less than hers?

 _Inhale._

"I have red on my ledger." Cass said quietly, repeating her earlier sentiment. Everyone stopped to look at her. Natasha beamed quietly at her prodigy. "I have red on my ledger and I need it wiped out." She stood and bounded towards her living quarters.

XXX


	3. Almost Lover

Alright. 3 Chapters in 3 days. Just playing catch up now and plotting out a few more things to move the story along. As always, feel free to leave a comment! Oh, the song Cassia sings is the You Are My Sunshine cover by Jasmine Thompson. That's how I imagine she sounds anyway.

Chapter 3

" _Goodbye, my almost lover_  
 _Goodbye, my hopeless dream_  
 _I'm trying not to think about you_  
 _Can't you just let me be?_  
 _So long, my luckless romance_  
 _My back is turned on you_  
 _Should've known you'd bring me heartache  
_ Almost lovers always do"

-Almost Lover, Alison Sudol

The next few days flew by in a blur. Cassia only left her room for meals and training on her own and the team seemed to give her a wide berth to let her sort through her own thoughts, which endeared them more to her, if that were even possible. She was doing this for them. She would do this for the world and those she had already taken but most of all this was for _them._

She absentmindedly took a swing at the punching bag in front of her. Right, right, left. Back kick. This group put everything on the line for her rehabilitation. It didn't come without its own set of growing pains, but she was brought into the fold nonetheless. As soon as they realized she wasn't going to actually eat them. The memory of Stark's primary concern brought a small smile to her face as she took another swing. She could feel the sting forming in her bare knuckles. She wanted to hurt.

A bond. Binding her life and soul to Loki would be a death sentence. Like so many she had condemned to death. How could she say no? She jabbed at the bag a little harder and embraced the feeling of her fists absorbing the shock. She had just started to put the broken pieces of herself back together. She had foolishly let herself dream of a future, of a lover perhaps. But that future could never be for her. She devoured everything in her path. This was the only way. A solid lump formed in her throat as she slammed another combo into the bag, which started swinging wildly with the force. Tears pricked behind her eyes and threatened to spill.

It barely registered to her when a familiar presence entered somberly into the room. Cass spun at the unexpected entry, instantly lowering her defensive stance when she saw Steve Rogers. His normal bright greeting for her hidden behind grave pity for his friend. "So serious." She teased.

"Hey kiddo." He said in greeting. Cass turned back to the bag and punched again as Steve rounded the mat and steadied her bag, likely knowing a thing or two about splitting punching bags himself.

"I'm probably still older than you." She huffed and swung.

"That's true." A small smile crept back onto his beautiful face. She always thought he was such a good looking man, everything about him had captivated her almost instantly. Her energy never responded in kind with the same intensity, which was a blessing in and of itself.

"Are you going to try and talk me out of this?" She was on autopilot now. Forceful swings, the raw skin covering her knuckles starting to crack and stain the bags red with each strike.

"No. I trust you. We're superheroes. We all have complexes." Cass nodded in appreciation and stilled the bag on her own, fingers lightly brushing against her sparring partners. Her energy recognized a frequent meal and responded favorably. They stood in silence for what felt like an eternity. Cassia boldly traced the lines of strong veins on her partner's forearm. Had he always had those freckles? Her fingertips releasing small amounts of her energy, sending delicate shocks through his arm to tickle the skin as they rose to lay on his bicep. She leaned her head on the bag and released a breath. Her ever-understanding partner completely still under her touch.

"Do you think anyone will know me as well as you do?" She vaguely registered the slow spill as the energy rose in her voice, changing it just a touch deeper. She knew she was in good hands with Steve and could maintain control.

He said nothing, just continued to study her face. She could feel his eyes on her rose colored lips, her high cheekbones likely flushed. She dared to reach her left hand to the hem of his grey shirt and danced the bespelled tips of her fingers around his impossibly smooth skin. The energy swirled and almost purred as it came to life, she had been starved for so long. He was steady as she took a step near him. His scent was intoxicating to her as her eyes glazed over. She smelled the heady oak of his aftershave mingled in with his own pheromones.

The goddess rose her right hand slowly and placed it gently on his cheek, her thumb making light circles against his end of the day stubble. A small rumbling noise emitted from Steve as he brought his hand to her lower back to tenderly pulled her forward and close the distance between them. She almost had to stand on her toes to bring her lips gingerly to his. So hesitant to touch, trying to bask in this moment as she tasted his lips. The energy pooling in her belly sighed with pleasure when he responded, wrapping both arms around her. She nibbled a bit at his lower lip, begging entry.

Their kiss grew with need as she buried her hands into his hair. Steve lifted the small woman effortlessly, clamoring for more access. A moan slipped from her lips as her energy continued to build. He walked her to the nearest wall and pressed their bodies together while she wrapped her legs around his waist. She almost instantly felt the tears prickling behind her eyes again though her energy ignored her welling emotions and willed her body to grind against his own. Almost instinctively, Steve pulled himself back briefly and glanced into her hooded eyes. He knew she had hit her limit. He claimed her lips once more before resting his forehead against hers.

"I know you." Was all he said, his own voice rough around the edges. The duo stayed unrushed against the wall while the raised energy settled back from the depths it had crawled. They knew this was their goodbye.

XXX

Cassia tossed her gym bag onto the empty desk in front of her, grateful for the solitude. She wasn't sure what that kiss between her and Rogers was, other than a tender goodbye and she wasn't going to dwell on it. Knowing that she would be bound to another soon, the kiss was almost an act of mercy and kindness.

Peeling herself out of her workout attire and tossing it aside she haphazardly snatched her acoustic guitar before collapsing on her bed. Cass didn't have the memory of where she learned to play, she just knew how. She could also play a mean piano. She delicately fingered the steel strings of her Epiphone, enjoying the initial swiping tone as she placed the instrument in her lap. She plucked a few notes and her ruby energy hummed with the vibration. One of her greatest lessons since rehabilitation was that love comes in all different forms. She was able to maintain some energy levels by finding things she loves, such as music.

Deciding on keeping it simple, she started plucking the chords and let the music take her away.

" _The other night dear,_  
 _As I lay sleeping_  
 _I dreamed I held you in my arms_  
 _When I awoke, dear_  
 _I was mistaken  
_ _So I hung my head and I cried"_

She could feel the haunting echo of her voice reverberate around the bare room walls. The sound of her voice crisp and throaty.

" _You are my sunshine_  
 _My only sunshine_  
 _You make me happy_  
 _When skies are gray_  
 _You'll never know, dear_  
 _How much I love you_  
 _Please don't take my sunshine away"_

The loneliness and wearying sadness seeped into her song. She was just beginning to learn who she was as a person and apparently part of her personality just happened to include bone crushing emotions. It's no wonder that a past part of her starved herself until she could no longer remember the cause in the first place. She was a devourer of other people's energy and emotions because the load on herself was too big to bear alone. She felt so intensely for everyone and everything around her. Part of her was left wondering how much she would come to feel for Loki himself.

" _I'll always love you_  
 _And make you happy_  
 _And nothing else could come between_  
 _But if you leave me to allow another  
_ _You'll have shattered all of my dreams"_

She felt a shimmer of energy on the wall across from her. The once white surface seemed to dissipate, being replaced by a sheer, iridescent glimmer of what was obviously a forcefield. A small panic caused Cass to toss her guitar to the side and stand, trying to focus her eyes on what was on the other side of the wall. After a moment the wall seemed to have settled and she spotted a room mirroring her own room's furniture and lay out perfectly. The difference between the now adjoining room is that the other was decorated in a deep forest green with intricate gold patterning around wooden furniture. Her eyes travelled to what was presumable a queen sized bed though it looked larger due to the lush black silk comforter laying atop.

A slow clap started on the other end of the room where she saw Loki perched, a large and seemingly old book in his lap. "Beautifully done, my betrothed." He placed a long fingered hand under his chin while gesturing in the air with the other. "Is this what I have to look forward to for the next few thousand years? A folksy rendition of what is undoubtedly Midgard's greatest minds?"

"For fucks sake." Cassia grumbled and popped herself back on the bed. "I assume you've been debriefed?" She asked, referring to him suggesting an engagement between the pair.

A light shone in those green eyes. "Well, not quite yet." He flashed her a wink while a slow grin spread. "Though if you're referring to our upcoming oaths, then yes, I have been made aware." He said almost flippantly. Cassia furrowed her brow at that.

"And you just...agreed?" She waved her hands quizzically into the air.

"I am a prince. I have been raised to expect a political union. It means naught to me." He did stare a bit apprehensively before the dark look quickly passed, "However if I'm being truthful, a life bond was a little surprising."

"Why would you say yes?"

"What would you have me say? It seems my greatest chance of freedom." There was more to it than that. She knew but didn't press the issue. He wouldn't have told her the truth anyway. She was going to continue to question the man before the door to her bedroom swiped open. Director Nick Fury took a heavy footed entry into the increasingly small space.

"That's cool. Apparently we just don't do privacy anymore." She waved a stray hair back out of her face in frustration.

"Agent, I see you've noticed the addition to your room. We figured you two needed to be acquainted. Thor told me it would also be easier on the bond process if you were nearby each other." She knew the other meaning behind his words. _Gather intel._ Loki barely looked up from his old book to even register the man's presence. "You can enter his quarters, should the need arise. But he is not able to exit his for any reason until he gets the proper clearance. He has the same amenities as yourself," She scoffed at that. His room looked like a luxury suite, while Cass' looked like a dorm room. "Self selected entertainment, regular commissioned bed with an addition of a bathroom suite."

Cassia's eyes bugged. "Why the hell does he get a damn bathroom?"

"He can't leave his room" Fury challenged.

"You're more than welcome to use my quarters, betrothed." Loki grinned with a greasy fake charm. She mumbled a quiet 'fuck off' before Fury continued.

"We are ready to get this mission off the ground. We need to move quickly. The only problem I'm currently seeing is if Loki is seen with the Avengers."

"Ahh, New York." He leaned his head back with a sigh. Fury's eye darted with disdain towards the god.

"Yes. Well, thanks to your brother, for the most part any photographic evidence was mostly blurry pictures or video. The public focused mostly on the Chitauri. Though some people might need convincing. We can't lose the public's support."

Loki sighed arrogantly before closing his book, as if any other presence was an annoyance to him. "That's simple. I can take care of that. It would require a bit of magic but I can provide alternative memories, or at least enough to block out my own involvement." Cassia's stomach rolled as the idea didn't sit right with her. To be absolved of your crimes by magic was a preposterous thought.

"Of course you all will remember as you were there. I cannot delete memory, only blur it slightly."

"On a global scale?" Fury was skeptical. _Good._

Loki stroked his chin, once again drawing Cassia's attention to his lips. _Betrothed. Husband. Mine._ Her traitorous energy seemed to be calling out when just an hour before it was reaching out to embrace another man and they haven't even been bonded yet. She emptied her thoughts of Steve and their shared kiss. As if he could sense it, he turned his eyes towards her. "Yes. I would say we just need an act of goodwill for the public to see." He maintained eye contact with the dark eyed woman before Fury cleared his throat, obviously wanting him to share his idea with the class.

"Everyone loves a royal wedding." Loki said with a chuckle.

The realization that she would soon be bonded to Loki and whatever that entailed gave Cassia the heebie jeebies. She just wanted quiet while she could. "I don't care. I don't. Plan it, tell me where to be and what to wear. I just want you-" She pointed to Fury, "Out. And I want you" She pointed to Loki "to shut up. I want to sleep. I want privacy. And possibly some ice cream." Fury mumbled under his breath about gods and tantrums. She's pretty sure he threw a 'motherfucker' in there somewhere. When Cass turned around she saw that the male had already had his head tipped in curiosity.

"Will we have these outbursts often?" His tone was evenly keeled while laughter danced behind his eyes. _Don't let him get to you. The walls are not closing in. You are not a prisoner._

"This is a contract. Nothing more. We will protect each other because we have to. We're not going to be besties and I'm not going to spend the next millennia being annoyed, by you." _That's right. Lay down the law._

His face darkened, "I would also appreciate it that once the contract were in effect if you could keep your affections to yourself. It makes a prince look rather foolish that his bride would so openly share herself with another and then sing love songs in solitude." _Well, shit._ She wasn't sure how he knew but she sure as hell wasn't going to deny. She wasn't the liar here. Before she could open her mouth to speak, the wall closed once again.

"The fuck?" She shouted, banging against the born again sturdy plain walls. "Do you have a button!?" She shouted through the wall. "Do I have a button? Where's the damned button Loki!" She could feel her energy rising as her frustration did as well. This union was going to test every step of progress she had made so far. It would be nothing to her to slam her fists through whatever material separated the two so she could give the god a piece of her mind. Instead, she just opted for sleep.

Cassia tossed her things aside and threw back her covers, punching her pillow a few times before slamming herself down.

"God damned royal wedding. And I'm God damned Princess Di."


	4. Creep

A/N: Okay this was a hard one for me to write y'all. I had surgery last Friday so most of this was in a medication induced haze. But here we are. I have another chapter to put up right after this, I might hold off until morning so I have a chance to proof read a bit more as we're starting to pick up pace.

 **Chapter 4**

 _I don't care if it hurts  
I want to have control  
I want a perfect body  
I want a perfect soul_

 _I want you to notice  
When I'm not around  
You're so fuckin' special  
I wish I was special_

 _But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo.  
What the hell am I doing here?  
I don't belong here._

 _Creep, Haley Reinhart Cover_

Another 2 weeks had passed before any progress had been made in their plan. Cassia was starting to emerge from her room more often, thanks to Loki's magic button in their shared rooms that allowed him access to annoy whenever he so pleased. Their encounters were either comfortable silence or constant bickering. His arrogance annoyed her. She didn't expect empathy or any sort of human emotion from the god. She may be immortal herself, but she couldn't remember a time where she wasn't surrounded by humans. She felt lucky to have them to help shape her. Even though she was winding up as an intergalactic child bride to a murderous prince. How cheesy.

The group didn't bring up her eventual nuptials nor did she really want to discuss it. For now, she wanted to ignore it, as much as she could while her room was attached to a scheming prince. Cassia refused to spar with him yet. He had yet to mention her feeding sessions but she knew it would be an opportunity for Loki to get the layout of her abilities, which Cassia was not comfortable with revealing until she was ready. She meant what she said when she could sense that he wanted to own her. She wasn't sure for what. It was likely he thought he could use her as a weapon just as much as Fury was convinced they could use him as one. This was going to be an uncomfortable game of tug of war and she could only hope the Avengers would tug her over to their side harder than the prince.

The beeping of the timer on her phone shook her from her thoughts. Cassia had to dive into different things that would give her the smallest levels of satisfaction since she was turning down her other 'meals'. Tonight's distraction was chicken breast cooked in a Marsala wine pan sauce with mushroom, garlic mashed potatoes and buttered purple asparagus. The earthiness of the dish entered her senses and sent a short buzz through her energy as she slowly inhaled.

Most of the team were out on various missions or were otherwise out living their lives. While she was given her freedom, she rarely left the compound. There was nothing out there for her anymore. Nothing good anyway. Sometimes Natasha would drag her out and the pair would pretend to be interested in everyday "girl" things. Brunch, nails, shopping. While the conversation was always nice, there would always be the sense that their thoughts were obviously somewhere else and not entirely on the trip at hand.

So tonight she cooked. Cassia fixed herself a plate in the open floor all-steel kitchen, which could have functioned as a high school cafeteria before rounding the corner and hitting the dinner bell Clint had installed. With the largely empty compound, if anyone was wandering around the halls, they could usually hear the bell and would soon come running.

She was pretty sure Steve was still out. He had been taking up the most mundane tasks recently as if he was avoiding her. That was fine by her. Better to not let him get the wrong idea or to let things go too far. Cassia took a deep breath and realized the compound was deserted yet again. She was starved for conversation at this point. Against her better judgment, she piled food onto a second plate and headed back to her room.

When the doors opened, she was unsurprised to find the magical barrier between the two rooms opened and the raven-haired man leaning back on his bed with his nose buried in a book. That's usually how she found him, though he didn't have anything else to do so it made sense. Cassia took her plate and placed it on her bed before setting the tray on the floor and gingerly toed it past the barrier.

Loki barely looked up, though he did shoot her a raised brow. "You grow bold." He noted.

"I haven't seen you eat in 2 weeks. I'd like my husband to fill out his tux." She said flippantly before setting herself back into bed and grabbing her own plate.

Loki leaned over, sniffing the air in a movement that was almost as cautious as Cassia felt moving the tray to him in the first place. "You'll find," he said before slowly picking his own meal up from the ground and placing it on his desk. "I have no issue filling things out." A sly smile graced his lips and Cassia avoided eye contact. He poked at his chicken a few times with a critical eye. Possibly trying to sense for poison or something he would otherwise regret putting into his stomach. Cassia glanced up in time to watch him eat a bite. He attempted to appear impassive, though the spark in his eye and the slight exhale he gave as he chewed gave his approval for him.

"What are you reading today?" She had never asked what he had read. Likely anything he could get his hands on. He always seemed to be studying and she had a feeling if he had access to a pen and paper he would be taking down notes as well.

"I'd like to learn more of the Gods of this realm" Loki stated matter-of-factly, never raising himself from his plate. Cassia placed her fork down and looked at him for a beat until he sighed and relented.

"The books I have found on your lineage written by mortals have been full of poetry and romanticism. I requested texts from Asgard. These were written by people who have met these Gods during their exploration here. It seems as if they were every bit as dramatic as your stories portrayed them to be." He took another bite.

Cassia had done very little reading on the subject herself. It was so hard to decipher what would be truth and what would be an over exaggeration. The basis of what she knew is she was the product of an affair. "Yep. Mama Venus was engaged to someone else when she hooked up with Papa Mars and had the first of my siblings."

Loki paused at his meal for a moment and leaned back in his chair, almost as if he was chewing on her words instead of his meal. "I'm curious if your parents would be appalled to see your full immersion with these mortals." She wasn't sure if he meant that as a genuine question or if he intended the sting that accompanied it.

"They continued to reproduce after a curse of tragedy was placed on all their offspring, so I would say it's unlikely they care." She quipped as if his question did not leave a bad taste in her mouth.

"I am well versed in poor family affairs." She knew he was referring to Odin and his lineage. At this point, it was well known that he was the adopted son of the King of Asgard. Yet another poetic tale for the Roman mythology. Two gods with daddy issues forced into a political marriage. She could only see this ending in fire and ash.

She wasn't sure if the god in front of her had the ability to feel awkward or if that was another human emotion she had the pleasure of acquiring. Natasha explained how important it was that she would have to straddle the line between professional and a genuine relationship in order to be able to gain some control over Loki. He would never freely give information regarding Thanos or extend his help for someone he did not know or trust. Cassia wasn't convinced she would ever gain his trust but they might find some sort of common ground of familiarity.

"You know my history. I feel at a disadvantage here."

"Don't play stupid, child." A look of disgust flickered across his sharp features. "I am sure SHIELD left you with plenty of reading materials regarding my history. As much as you would like to think that I am just a pawn in their game, somehow we have _both_ become pawns. Very much expendable." Loki tossed in a chuckle before continuing, "Which is quite embarrassing when you consider our considerable advantage in power over the humans." He pushed his empty plate away from him before crossing his leg and facing her, his jade eyes boring into her own. "And I know nothing regarding your background. I know your history. Your background is very much an enigma."

Cassia breathed unsteadily as her vision began to blur and the familiar rose tint eclipsed her sight. The energy tingled as it was wont to do when memories started to fall in.

 _Screaming. Battle. Smoke. She could smell the flesh rotting around her as she tore the throat out of a young man, no older than 20._

Her eyes fluttered as she trapped air into her lungs, willing herself to pay attention.

 _The warmth of his lifeblood dripping down her arm._

"Very interesting," Loki said slowly. Her energy was starting to wake and tingled against her skin for release. It purred at the sound of his voice. Cassia opened her eyes to see his elbows on his knees, studying her as if she were one of his books. She pushed down the electric tingle before clearing her throat in hopes that the man would not notice what transpired, though she feared she opened herself up to him witnessing one of her weaknesses. The visions came and go as they pleased, she had very little control over them. Cassia noticed that if she stayed properly fed then they stayed at bay with a little more ease. She hadn't been able to decipher if these were true memories because they never cleared more than certain sensations. But she did have 7 confirmed deaths and that was enough to tell her she was dangerous.

"I have committed my own sins. You'll find no judgment here. What matters is what you do with your future."

Another look of disgust crept across his face, still leaned in to get a close look at the goddess before him. "You live as long as I have and these mortals will seem nothing more than buzzing pests, barely worth the energy it takes to swat a fly. Even my darling brother feels this way to an extent. He is a warrior and has spilled so much blood over the centuries one could bathe in it." There was that feeling he could read her previous thoughts again. "I will do what it takes to protect myself and you, once bonded, when Thanos arrives. Nothing more and nothing less. And it would behoove you to remember this during our long, _happy_ lives with each other."

Loki stood and took his tray before sliding it back into her room. He stood at his full height, towering over Cassia. He looked down at her before adding quietly, "Thank you for the meal. It was not unpleasant." And with that, the barrier once again sealed and she was staring at her white walls once again. Cassia stiffened her resolve to find that god damned button and soon. She was sick of Loki having the last word. She kicked and punched at the air in a lightly frustrated motion before scooping the trays back up and headed back into the kitchen.

That's where Natasha found her moments later. Cassia was standing in front of the sink, nearly scrubbing holes through the plates and muttering something about 'stupid gods' and 'posh accents'.

"Dinner?" The red head at least tried to sound a little upbeat.

"Help yourself," Cassia grunted back.

"Looks delicious. This isn't a social call, unfortunately." She rounded the other side of the sinks which held a stainless steel bar and barstools. "It looks like Thanos is on the hunt for something called infinity stones. That's what we're assuming Loki promised him in exchange for the earth."

Cassia took a moment thinking back to what of value Loki could still have or what he had access to. "The Tesseract."

"That's what we believe. There are six in total. When brought together he could have the power to tear entire universes apart." She was stoic as she relayed the information. Cassia was sure that Natasha chose to remain emotionless on most occasions for the sake of her friend. She'd be lying to herself if she said it didn't help in this particular sense. Cass didn't know who exactly Thanos was, but the way some of her friends shuddered when speaking about him – he sounded like a pretty bad guy. Plus, he was trying to tear worlds apart. So that kind of made him suck too.

"Director Fury gave orders to get started on _everything._ Thor traveled back to Asgard to relay the information. By now I'm sure Fury is updating Loki to prepare to go live to give a speech tomorrow."

She continued to explain that Pepper Potts was going to take over PR for the entire ordeal. Her years of dealing with Stark's public relations nightmares made her perfect for the job. Tomorrow Cassia would be introduced as the newest Avenger and blushing bride of the new and improved Prince of Asgard. Apparently, in the last two weeks, Loki had already been working out the magic necessary to help glamor the entire world into being distracted from New York. Though it seemed as if that likely could have been done easily enough. The terrible tragedy led to 24-hour news cycles and social media posts and inactivism, changing of profile pictures. 'Pray for New York'. Names of the victims. Chatting about aliens. Until the entire thing was so oversaturated it only took another slight tragedy before everyone's attention shifted and New York never happened.

"So I guess this is really it, huh?" Cass stood before Natasha not as a god but as a girl. One who had never had a chance to grow or learn who or what she was before she was sold to someone by an entity who somehow wound up owning her. _I signed up for this. I offered myself as penance. Didn't I?_ She had to stop letting Loki's comments about her being a pawn seep into her head. She wasn't so naïve that she didn't believe that SHIELD was absolutely using her to their advantage but her friends wanted to protect her. Friends who had since been missing.

Natasha's eyes softened. Cass remembered during their conversations the agent giving her some detail of her upbringing. She had given her body many times for the sake of another agency. She knew better than to ask if Cassia was ready or if she was sure. The answer was going to be no, but she was going to follow through anyway. Because that's what good agents do to clear their ledgers. They do what needs to be done. Captain America gets to make the rounds of public service announcements and military appearances. Thor gets fanfare and those who still worship him. Stark has a PR team and press conferences, adoring fans, conventions. Natasha and Cassia get to sell off pieces of themselves to the highest bidder. It was their burden to carry.

Cassia entered back into her room and was almost surprised to find the wall closed. She paused at it and tentatively placed the palm of her hand against the cold concrete, almost expecting the gold shimmer of the barrier to show itself. The privacy was a small mercy as she wasn't ready to face Loki just yet. After tomorrow they would officially be betrothed. Which would lead to a short engagement and then…

She gently fingered the strings on her guitar and looked once again to the wall to see if the familiar shimmer and accompanying man etched with a permanent scowl would appear. Nothing. Abandoning her music she decided to change into her pajamas and let her thoughts take her off to a fitful sleep.


	5. To Catch a Thief

**Chapter 5**

 _Come into my window  
It's open every night  
That's where I'll be waiting  
I'll keep off all the lights  
I'm lying on my bed  
Crown jewels on my head_

Loveage, To Catch a Thief

Only a few hours later, Cass rolled out of bed, grumbling to herself and kicking the blankets out in the process. A glance at her clock said it was almost 1:30 in the morning. The only thing she could think about is finding that damned button to that stupid wall. She had already tried the space around her bed, the wall near the entrance of the door, now she found herself rubbing along the desk in the dark, cursing like a madwoman. She was tired of thinking about what was to come first thing in the morning. She didn't want to be paraded around in front of the entire world. She was about to be outed as a god and a bride. She didn't want to think.

She felt a bump on the underside of her desk and pushed her finger down. The hair on her arms tingled as the wall disappeared and she was staring into the darkness of the adjoining room.

Cassia almost let out a whoop in success but covered her mouth instead. As the wall started to settle, she peered through and saw nothing but darkness. _So he does sleep._ She crept with a slow grace and danced her fingers along the barrier. Once the wall settled, it was completely translucent. It was only when contact was made that the gold shimmer trailed where it was touched. She steadied a breath and stepped inside.

She inhaled deeply and discovered that the lingering scent of leather she had smelled on his skin was from his old leather-bound books he surrounded himself with. That mysterious mint smell had also returned as well. Cassia slinked towards the bed, her heart rate rising with anticipation.

Loki was laying silently on his stomach, clad in his government-issued grey t-shirt and black sweats. The once drab clothing seemed just a touch more elegant on such a classically handsome man. _Jesus. Keep that shit in check. Lock it down._

The energy started to wake once more. She could almost see the ruby smoke rising through her body, demanding sustenance. _I could always punch him in the mouth. That might help._ She tossed that thought to the side. Cass let her eyes trail along his body, discovering he was more fit than his Asgardian gear let on. He could likely hold himself well in battle. She had seen some footage and heard stories but she was willing to bet that was just the tip of the ice burg. He had given up a lot easier than she thought he would. That was something that had plagued her since before she even met him. She had a feeling that Thor still severely underestimated his brother.

But that would mean he would have turned himself over on purpose. Why?

She continued her little private recon mission to study his raven black hair. There was something in her that stirred in excitement to see his pristine locks curled in his sleep. He really had beautiful hair. The energy hummed and purred against her skin as she knelt down in front of him.

"Are you almost done?" Mild annoyance and sleep masked his voice and Cassia jumped back in surprise. Loki caught her wrist in his large hands and pulled her back in, face to face.

"I found your stupid button." Was all she could think to say after being caught ogling while her energy started thumping at her skin to be released with just a mere touch.

"Splendid. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" His eyes fluttered open and even in the darkness she could see the emerald globes staring after her. She had no words. She didn't know what prompted her to come in. It defied any and all training she was given, but was there really a protocol to all of this? He was still touching her. Could he read her as well? Her energy leapt at her as a dog would when they wanted attention. This was beyond protocol. This was trying to make sense of her life. Her future. All of it beginning at a rapidly approaching pace. Cassia furrowed a brow and lifted his heavy silk comforter.

"I can't sleep." He slipped back silently, allowing her access into the bed while saying nothing. She cautiously climbed in and laid on her side facing him. The pair stayed quiet just studying each other's faces. They looked at each other as if the other was a scared animal ready to scamper off as fast as possible at the slightest shift. She realized in this moment that Loki was scared too. Her mind went back to the frozen wall of fear she had touched when she read him. Protecting the last seed of light within him.

Of course, he was afraid. He was about to tie his life to another for thousands of years. It still scared the shit out of her on a daily basis. You don't know what will become of the person you are. Though he had room for improvement.

"Will we sleep in bed together? Once we're…" She couldn't finish the sentence.

"I imagine we would. From what I have heard of being bound, anyway." It was almost impossible to detect any inflection in his voice. He seemed neither disgusted nor intrigued by this line of questioning. More expectant than anything.

"So none of it would be real? We're basically putting ourselves under a spell for the rest of our lives?"

"We are not yet bound though are you not in my bed?" _Fair enough._ She thought. "Has my brother explained much to you about what is to come?"

She shook her head in reply, wondering if she could trust the answers he would reveal.

"I admittedly do not know much. It's no longer an oft-used custom." She willed herself to focus as she felt his warm breath tickling against her skin while he spoke. "Thor was correct when he told you that I would be sworn to protect you at risk of my own peril. And I very much like myself alive. But we still have free will. The point of the bond is to tie your soul to another person's, knowing that they would choose you for all eternity." She felt a silent shiver reach her to her core.

The pair let that process for a beat before he continued. "I hear we will ache when the other is absent. There may be some telepathy, though that may be the work of lore. Much of this is unknown to me."

Cass chewed on her bottom lip. "I read you." He nodded in acknowledgment.

"Then you know I am not a good man. There is darkness in me and given the chance, I would find my escape and leave this realm to Thanos. If you wish my assistance, this would be the smart choice." He knew her question before she even had to say it. _Why?_ Why tell her? "I wish to be free. If I am only free as a bound man, so be it. And if you and I are to share these ties, I wish for us to tolerate each other."

"Happy wife, happy life." She said with only the slightest hint of sarcasm. Loki clearly had not heard that idiom before but chuckled slightly at the truth.

"I've killed." Cassia stated, attempting to clarify their earlier conversation. He gave another nod. He had already known. Of course he would have been given information before he needed to agree to being bound. "I can't…I can't ever love you. Not in the way a wife should love her husband. I suspect in centuries everything that has happened here will be stripped away and it will just be you and me. And I can't love. I devour everything. I would take until there is nothing left for you to give until I took your last breath." She closed her eyes.

 _Red smoke. Screams. She thought she heard a voice cry 'no more' in the distance. Betrayal. Blood. Everything covered in her smoke._

Loki seemed to recognize what was happening this time around and grasped her wrist once more, pulling her from her thoughts and stilling her hand in front of their faces.

"You'll find I am much more durable than anything found on Midgard. If I am to be tied to you, we will work on your control." He said that with such confidence. How was he so sure? They were strangers. They met a few short weeks ago, their conversations consisted of either complete disinterest or constant bickering and now she was laying in his bed talking about their upcoming marriage. She was no prude and often welcomed strangers into her bed but intimacy was a foreign concept.

She felt weak, so weak. Ignoring her sparring and letting her energy levels get so low. She let her eyes travel down this man's body and watched as he steadied himself. If they had been moving she would have been a shark circling her prey. But the energy was pounding against her now. It wanted to consume him. Climbing into bed with him had to have been the most ridiculous and impulsive idea she has had in years. Aside from agreeing to a lifelong magical bond. It was apparent she had plenty of ridiculous and impulsive ideas when she was in the vicinity of Loki.

Something about him called out to her, since the first day they met, daring her to go further. Whether it be with their arguments or now. It was unlike anything she had experienced before but her energy responded to him in a way that constantly kept her on her toes and ready to push it back down. Though tonight her resolve to push it aside was severely weakened.

Cassia slipped her delicate leg in between his and brought her hand to rest on his back. Where Rogers was covered in muscle, Loki had a much leaner frame though the power felt under the skin was palpable. Her energy jerked in response. He wouldn't see. He couldn't see who she really was. She wanted him to see before he agreed to bind himself to her. Cass knew the fate of the world was literally sitting in her hands but she needed to give him that choice. She pushed espionage and politics to the side and let her energy take over capturing his lips in her own. She would give him a chance to see her and choose.

Her lips crushed against his in a frenzy, which he happily accepted without hesitation. Maybe he wanted to give her a chance to choose him too. His long arms enveloped her to pull her in with unflagged enthusiasm. His lips were much softer than she had anticipated and as they nipped at the pulse point on her neck she let out a soft moan. She brought her hands up to pull at his curls and direct his mouth back to hers. Their teeth clashed as they captured each other's lips with fervor. The energy within her pounded at her skin now, growing more frantic every second.

Cassia caught a hint of shock on his face when she was able to slip her other leg around his waist to move him onto his back. She perched atop him, pausing only to let him see the smoke she knew would be shining through her hooded eyes. He grasped her hips and urged her on.

The SHIELD issued sweats left no room for imagination, especially when one apparently liked to go commando. She reached her hand down and freed him from the garments. Loki was pleasantly larger than what she would have expected from his frame. The man was full of surprises. She gripped him tightly and watched as his eyes rolled closed and his head tipped back. The energy in her pulsed, pooling in between her thighs. Just touching this man, this – god – was going to get her off. She didn't know why she didn't see it before but everything about him screamed sex. As she continued the ministrations on his cock, he reached his hand around and forced her shorts to the side to find her core.

Loki tested her resolve by gently rubbing her clit once, almost waiting to see if she'd run. Instead she let out a shudder and gripped him tighter. Using her reaction as her approval, he started slow circles on her clit, massaging his free hand into her thigh as she ground against him. The energy within her vibrated, begging to be released. She felt herself being lifted and tossed onto the plush bed as another moan emitted from her lips. Loki peppered kisses on her legs, pausing only to nip at her flesh and rip at the shorts she was wearing. When his trail ended at her core he dipped his head down to let out a painstakingly slow lick. Hearing her sigh with need was all the encouragement he needed as he gently sucked in her clit, licking in faster circles.

"Need" Was all she could manage. She should have warned him what happens next. But he was so sure. Without wasting time with discarding his own clothes he pulled himself up by his elbows and claimed her lips once more. Almost delirious now, tasting herself on this man almost tipped her over the edge. She scrambled to put him in her hand once more and guided him to her entrance. Loki grabbed her wrists, pinning them above her head and claiming what was his. Her entire body shook as he entered her to the hilt and the red smoke enveloped them both.

He pounded into her with a fire that rivaled the energy that was just released. He pulled both of her wrists into one hand, pressing them into the pillow as he grabbed her hair by the base to expose her neck. Cassia wrapped her legs around his waist to pull him even deeper as he felt his teeth sink into her shoulder. She could feel him inside her. Not just the sex, but his very being. Her energy took long happy laps of his own power and fed it directly into the goddess. Loki's own mouth betrayed him by letting a moan escape. He had been trying to maintain control, that much was obvious but Cassia reveled as she watched him begin to unravel. He once again freed one of his hands to move it in between them, a wolfish smirk crossing his face as he reached her bundle of nerves.

Cass frantically pulled at his hair as it built within her. Soon the entire room was filled with ruby smoke. As she reached her peak she let out a scream and lifted her hips from the bed. Loki dug his hands into her hips, leaving her in the air as his own rhythm started to grow sloppy with need. She dug her fingers into his chest as she felt his seed enter her.

He lowered himself to meet her face to face and claim her lips once again, only the sound of their labored breaths filling the void. Loki lifted his head up and looked curiously around the room as the smoke receded back into Cassia. As it continued to fill her, she found herself more satiated than she could ever remember being, while still in control of her faculties.

"Are you okay?" She asked, almost worriedly. She didn't kill every time she had sex but it took a lot of concentration to not lose control. Tonight she had let herself go and forget about boundaries. A look crossed her face, which she could only guess was due to having someone care about his well-being.

"I think I'll live. Barely. We may need to repeat this often though so that I may check and make sure I can handle this for a millennia. I believe 2-3 times nightly for the next century should suffice. Then I'll know for sure." She bat at his arm as he withdrew himself from her and laid back down next to her. There was a peace in her that she couldn't recall the last time she felt that way. It was the first time in years that she wasn't keeping herself at the brink of starvation. Her mind had never been clearer yet all she wanted to do was take refuge in these sheets.

They laid silent for a while, neither one sure of what to do or say next. Cassia shifted to her side to see Loki surrounded by curls, eyes closed and completely relaxed.

"Tomorrow's speech. You gonna tell the world you think I'm pretty?" She propped her head up on her hand and watched as a small smile crossed his lips. For some reason, making prince sour puss laugh always seemed like a victory to her.

"It will be full of drama and romance. Humans seem to like that drivel. It would be hard to win the world over if I told them of my announcement to some homely goddess. Especially when she's clearly anything but homely." His eyes remained shut as if he refused to face her.

"High praise coming from the prince of posh."

He raised a brow at that and glanced in her direction. "You think me a snob." It was more of a statement than a question and for a moment she wondered if she hurt his feelings.

"I don't know what I think. I think we should call a truce at the very least."

"It would be ungentlemanly of me to refuse a truce at this point. What are your terms?" She could tell he was half joking and half serious at this. There was no way she could demand his compliance or cooperation because he wouldn't give it.

"We're in this together. Let's try and leave the snarkiness and disdain at the door."

"Happy wife, happy life?" He parroted her earlier sentiment. "Agreed. Now be quiet and go to sleep before I usher you to your own quarters."

"Your beds comfier than mine. Dick."

So much for a truce. Though there was a certain fondness that seeped through their snark this time around and that was okay with Cassia for now. She was able to rest a little more comfortable with the next day's upcoming events.

XXX


	6. The Proposal

A/N: Alrighty, I think I'm getting into a groove. I was stuck with a chapter or two after my surgery but I've got so many ideas flowing about this. Leave a review or a kudos, something to let me know if you're enjoying it so far!

I'll be the Mr  
If you'll be my Mrs  
And I'll be the wizard  
To grant you all of your wishes  
Follow me along  
We'll tiptoe down a golden road  
And when we finally find our home  
I'll put my queen atop her throne

-The Proposal, Matty Mac

 **Chapter 6**

Cassia felt the warmth first. Slow and steady breathing. It wasn't a certain sensation that stirred her to her senses, rather a lack of one. This was the first morning she could remember that she wasn't on the brink of starvation. Artificial light made to mimic the sunrise filled the room and Cassia glanced around able to better study her surroundings than she had done creeping through the previous night. He was quite tidy for someone who wasn't able to leave their quarters.

Cass quietly slipped from under the covers, finding Loki's discarded grey t-shirt from the night before and slipped it over her head. She managed a glance at him, now sprawled on his stomach she could make out the almost translucent skin of his back peeking out from his black comforter. His hair even more of a mop of curls. She wondered how many people got to see him this way. Vulnerable.

Shrugging off the strange feeling she made her way towards the large oak bookshelf and fingered some of the titles. There were a few older books in a language she didn't recognize, which is what she had expected. But the surprise came when on the second shelf she stopped to see something a little more local. The Art of War was a cause of pause for her, Pride and Prejudice, World War Z, he even had some Stephen King. She had to stifle a giggle when she crossed Nicholas Sparks. She pulled the worn book from its place and scoffed at the beautiful couple on the cover, frozen in each other's grasp, trapped for all eternity with one another's lips just out of reach.

"I wonder if I should somehow disclose your status as a world-class snoop in my proposal today." Cass whipped her head around to find him sitting up on his elbows and staring her down. She couldn't tell if he was amused or annoyed. "After all, this would be the second time in a few hours I have caught you traipsing around my room." _So, amused then._

"Just trying to – learn who you are, I suppose." She shrugged and leaned nonchalantly onto the adjacent matching desk.

"I like you in my clothes. We will both be learning new things every day, so it would seem." His gaze darkened as she glanced down at herself. The t-shirt was much too big to fit her properly. Though due to her being much, chestier, than Loki, the material tightened in a couple extra places.

Is this what they do now? They flirt? It felt foreign to her. She was a flirty person in general and though they had sex the night before, she still had a job to do. Though this job was going to change the course of her life. For better or worse. She glanced back at the Nicholas Sparks novels.

"I'm not going to pull the whole clichéd 'last night was a mistake' speech." Cassia pushed any nerves out of her before continuing. "This" She motioned between the both of them with one slender finger, "doesn't change what's happening or where we are. It looks like you're trying to teach yourself to navigate these people and this world as much as I am." She said, pointing to the centuries-old collection of Earth's greatest hits in his treasure trove of a library.

"I'm certainly not trying to fit in." He countered, stiffening slightly.

"No – _no_ dear sir, I would never accuse you of such a travesty," she had mustered her best impression of an Asgardian accent with a wink. "I learn by doing. Which we did."

"And what did you learn?" She saw the look again. Loki, the scholar. A part of her was convinced if you stripped politics and the general lust for chaos from him, he would have easily fit in with the scientists locked away in Starks tower.

"I'm not hungry." Cassia now avoided eye contact. It was such a delicate subject between her and her friends. Human's had such fragile lives and knowing that a single feed could be the end of it all. But this was different. She knew she still had the capacity to hurt the god, especially if her power was able to grow by being satiated for long lengths of time. As her power grew, the amount she needed to sustain it would likely grow as well.

Before he could reply, she heard a knock at her own door, she mumbled a quick goodbye before stumbling into her room, finger quickly finding the button to shut the two adjoining rooms. She jumped into her own cold bed and brought the blankets up to her waist. Cassia tried taming some of her chestnut locks while yelling 'come in' at her guest.

Where she would have expected Natasha, she was a bit surprised to see Thor's large hulking frame blocking her doorway. He glanced at her attire with a quizzical expression before clearing his throat. "May I enter?" She noticed he was back in full Asgardian gear. His presence seemed to take up all the room.

Cassia patted next to her on the bed, granting him entry.

"I know you are aware that today is the announcement. I came to ask for a final time if this is what you want." She held his gaze for a while. He seemed obviously concerned on the surface. But something Loki had said the night before stirred something in her. She wouldn't read him, she would never do that against his will. But she had this _feeling_ that there was once a point in time that he would not have felt concern for what was essentially selling a woman to anyone if it would gain him the advantage. He didn't always carry that honor.

"I don't want to be asked that question all day."

"Very well, I'll make it known." Obviously, she had stung him some. A part of her wanted to feel bad, but she just couldn't. Her thoughts traveled to the matter at hand.

"Am I going to have to make a speech, too?" The idea made her stomach lurch and her palms sweat. She stayed under the radar for a reason. Briefly, Cassia wondered if her hesitation to being around people was due to the fact that a small part of her viewed them as food or if her 'kind' all had an affinity for hiding in general. It would certainly explain the fact that even though extraterrestrial gods and aliens and superheroes were all coming out of the woodwork but not a single mythical god aside from herself had made themselves known. And she highly doubted she was the only one left.

"No, I will do a brief introduction but it will mostly be Loki doing the talking. Just remember, this is all to amend my brother's appearance through magic. My mother has been generous enough to provide a tonic which from what I am told will assist him spread his influence. Somehow." He said, almost regrettably. She knew a certain part of him was hopeful that this would turn over a new leaf for his brother but Thor had enough manners to not be jovial about the situation. He gently placed a large hand atop her own.

"Our mother would like to meet you soon." Cassia's eyebrows shot up.

"The queen? Me? Why?"

There was a slight hesitation on Thor's face. He blinked once and spoke softly as if he wanted her to clearly hear the question under his statement. "You are to be family soon. You will be her daughter, my sister and a princess of Asgard."

All of the air deflated from Cassia's lungs. She never considered just how deep she was going. She knew she was going to tie herself to Loki for the rest of her life but she had no experience in royal politics and she knew nothing of family. They had no real timeline for Thanos' return but with their lifespan, it would just be a blink of an eye to resolve versus the millennia of responsibility she was now taking on. The possibility of defeat was not an option.

She took the time to study Thor's face. He always exuded confidence but she could sense the uncertainty in his eyes. Her mind went back the past few years. The man before her traveled more out of everyone but in the early days, he made it a point to stay in the compound with her. He was always the most patient with her and although their first meeting had injured him, he never treated her like a monster just an inch away from murdering his team. Thor was the first to volunteer for sparring so she could eat. She saw him the same way with Loki on many occasions in the past few weeks. Total acceptance and hope. Cassia had heard stories of the war-obsessed egomaniac he was prior to his time on Earth and couldn't imagine that person sitting before her now. A shot of pride went through her.

"I'd be honored to have you as my brother and to meet your mother whenever she requests it."

Thor let a grin spread across his face as he stood.

"Well, it's time to introduce you to the public." Another roll of the stomach. "Pepper informed me your new uniform is in your closet and to meet her in the dressing room down the hall for hair and makeup. You will do well, Cassia." And with that, he ducked out of the room to leave her alone with her thoughts.

XXX

It seemed as if hours had passed of Cassia being fussed over. Her face made up one way and Pepper demanding changes being made. The makeup artist had either overdone the eyeshadow or made her look too dramatic or there wasn't enough and she didn't look godly enough. She had said the entire point was to get the world so wrapped up in not only a royal wedding but one between gods that their attention would be nowhere near the event in New York. We would not only be revealing our allegiance to Asgard but that the stories we had heard of Gods had all been true. 'Today is history in the making. Children all over the universe would be studying this union until the end of time.' As Stark had sarcastically pointed out while sipping on his scotch, clearly still unhappy they decided to go forward with the plan.

Cassia had immediately vomited, which prompted another 30 minutes in makeup. Finally, the prep team had cleared the room, giving her a few minutes before it was show time.

She stood now under the bright lights of the mirror. She hardly recognized the warrior staring back at her. Her waist long, chocolate-colored hair was allowed to cascade down her back in carefree waves while the front half was pinned in a loose bun. Pepper was right, it gave a hint of regality but was enough to still make her relatable as a being from Earth. They had slathered her in various sweet smelling lotions which had originally confused her since most would only be seeing her over the television but the moisturizing had allowed her olive skin to shine as if she had flecks of gold gleaming just beneath the surface. The makeup team had stuck with golden and earthy tones for her eyes to bring out the honey of her irises and a simple rose gloss adorned her plump lips.

She was mostly impressed with her uniform. It was a lot like Natasha's. Form-fitting to allow for swift movement though hers was equipped with a jet black breastplate and armor coverings on her forearms and thighs. A part of her swelled with pride at the large 'A' covering the top left of her breastplate. And all it took to gain official entry into the group was to sell a part of her soul. No big.

A warning knock sounded at the door. Cassia took one last look in the mirror and said silent goodbyes to her old life before heading down the hall towards the large conference room.

The large black room was designed how she imagined a news set would look. There was an overwhelming number of bodies hustling backstage while Thor was out in front of the black curtains answering questions from what appeared to be hundreds of members of the press from all over the world, in front of live cameras. Pepper spotted her first and grinned softly. "It's showtime!" She said and placed a hand on the small of her back, guiding her towards the side of the stage.

She was given the run-down in the dressing room. Thor would go on and re-introduce Loki to the world. Loki would make his grand speech, of which no one was really sure. She spotted Natasha and Tony across on the other side of the curtain as the public faces of the Avengers, Natasha giving her a silent nod. She peered gently on the other side of the black curtain to see Loki standing next to his brother.

He stood with his head tall, looking out at the crowd. He had discarded his normal scowl and replaced it with an almost gentle expression. His hair was once again straight and slicked back, not a raven hair out of place. It was strange to see him out of his cell without being in chains. Her eyes traveled down and took in Loki's full Asgardian armor, minus the helmet. It was unlikely he'd ever be able to wear that helmet in public again without instantly being recognized. _Thank God._

The audience gasped and started shouting questions and Cassia immediately looked to her Avenger friends. Thor must have given the big reveal regarding gods and goddesses.

"It is my privilege to introduce you to the newest member of the Avengers, Cassia. Daughter of Mars and Venus." Thor extended his arm towards the curtain. She felt Peppers hand gently urging her through. Bright lights popped repeatedly in front of her, leaving a scorched mark in front of her eyes in their wake. The ruby energy started stirring and flipping. She wasn't sure the last time she had been surrounded by this many people. Cassia felt as if she were drowning. As she bounded the stairs she took another glance at Loki who was looking down at her, smiling. He offered his hand to help her up the stairs, almost as if he recognized how completely lost she was and offered her a lifesaver. She smiled confidently back and took her place on the opposite side of Thor.

"You can be sure that Cassia would do anything to protect this world. I trust her with my life." Thor finished and looked out among the crowd. His usual speeches were given to riled warriors, she briefly wondered if the transition to speaking in front of crowds of humans was difficult. Though this particular group of humans, the press, maybe a bit more bloodthirsty than the warriors. Cassia stared at the crowd as Thor and Loki changed places. She felt her heart pounding through her chest and her palms beginning to sweat.

"Across the 9 realms, I have heard many things of Midgard." Loki's voice sounded like butter. Each syllable cut smoothly to the next. Even the crowd of reporters started to quiet. "I have heard of the bravery in this realm. The determination. I have witnessed the vast amount of knowledge." Her mind immediately went to his book collection. Maybe he actually enjoyed the literature here. It was likely his guilty pleasure. Maybe Midgardian literature was akin to trashy reality TV.

"Though I was unable to visit as often as I would have liked, I was able to see the growth from colonization to the industrial revolution to today's era of science. And I felt a deep sense of pride to be able to witness all of your accomplishments." He paused for a moment and scanned the crowd. Judging by the look on their faces, hanging onto every word, it likely felt to them as if he was giving each person his individual attention.

"With an increase in technology, leads to opening yourselves up to attention to nefarious characters across the universe, as you are all more than aware." She almost rolled her eyes and scoffed as he allowed his jeweled eyes to tear. "As soon as I heard of New York, I had to travel here to meet with my brother. I could not let him enter this fight alone. I have been here since that day." _In chains._ Cassia bit back. She didn't dare to look over to Tony. Pepper must have a gun to his side to keep him from speaking out of turn.

"At first, my brother fought for the love of a woman. After spending time in this realm, he fought because it was the _right_ thing to do. We have spoken many times of what leads us to protect this world. I will admit, my own journey was the opposite of my brother's." _Yeah, no shit._ "I would fight to continue to watch you grow, to watch you learn. It wasn't until I was able to spend a significant amount of time here that I was able to say that I now understand and am able to fight for love." _Here we go._

Loki stepped towards Cassia, eyes unwavering. Although he left the podium, his voice was still able to travel. No doubt thanks to the tonic. She played her role as well, grasping him gingerly by the hand and facing him, allowing a small smile to grace her lips. "It is my wish to unite our realms. I offer my unyielding protection. For I have found something humans do greater than learning and building empires and colonizing nations. They dare to use their hearts and will risk anything against all odds for those they love." Cass had to force the lump in her throat back down and remind herself that this was all for the show.

"Humans can be kind, even when it's not required. Generous, though they may have nothing." His gaze never faltered and her breathing began to increase. Loki brought another hand forward until he was firmly grasping both of hers in his own. "One may find a centuries-old goddess in, I believe it's called 'footie pajamas' sitting cross-legged on her bed singing girl-pop at the top of her lungs." The press all let out a collective laugh and he shot them a wink. They were like putty in his hands. It was an astonishing and terrifying thought.

"This same goddess may have shown me the very depths of human emotion. Anger, joy, laughter. Lots of laughter." He placed his hand on her cheek and pretended to get lost in his world for a moment before dropping his hands from hers and returning to the podium.

"It is for these and many other reasons that I come to you as a man would beg before a father asking for the hand of their daughter. I come to you as a man requesting the hand of your hero. To unite our worlds. My shield shall become your shield. My armies are yours. I offer myself willingly to Midgard." Loki pivoted once more and kneeled before Cassia. She remained calm and allowed herself to smile from ear to ear, but inside she was sure her heart had exploded. _This is all for show._

Loki opened his hands, long fingers revealing a golden ring in the shape of circular vines, decorated with diamonds. At the point of the ring was a large ruby in the shape of a rose. The energy once again stirred, acknowledging the gesture of him intentionally matching her energy while Cass was trying to remind herself once again that none of this was real.

"Cassia, in our time together you have taught me so much. Your passion for your people has inspired my own. You have awakened something in me that I had feared was lost." His voice was almost a whisper though she had no doubts that with the complete silence of the room, he was still very much heard. "You have owned me from the first day we met." His eyes gleamed mischievously at that. "The only thing I ask of you is if _you_ will be mine."

Cassia allowed tears to flow through as she nodded enthusiastically. She may have shouted yes or something else ridiculous. She was working on autopilot as she yanked him up to place the ring on her finger and jumped into his arms. She grabbed either side of his face and her lips quickly enveloped his in a kiss. She felt him smile against her lips and they allowed their foreheads to touch before he slowly let her down.

She dared a look at the crowd to see if their plan had worked. Each and every person sitting in the auditorium either had tears in their eyes or were openly crying. It started with just one clap before everyone stood and a joyful roar ripped among the crowd. Loki and Cassia stood side by side holding hands as he thanked everyone and promised he would be able to answer their questions very soon but he needed to be with his future _bride._ Cass feigned another smile and let him lead her away.

Let the games begin.


End file.
